computer systems to support their work find it difficult or impossible to operate effectively without them. However the benefits are achieved only if the computerisation process is carefully planned, with the full commitment of The need for a clear plan to guide the development of computerisation exists regardless of the size and complexity of the computer systems proposed; often, significant benefits from computerisation can be achieved with relatively modest investments: a small computer in a busy police office, another to assist with court administration in a busy court, and another to collate statistics at the central statistics office, for example. However unless these individual developments are properly planned in the first instance, the individual systems may not achieve the benefits expected of them. Further, unless these are properly coordinated, the information collected at the police office may not be compatible with the court information or with the statistics system. As a result, future plans to make operational improvements by automating the transfer of information between agencies(or even between offices of the same agency) may prove impossible or unnecessarily expensive. Furthermore, systems introduced in this way may not provide the required scope for later expansion, as new and additional functions are required to be computerised. It follows that benefits from computerisation can be achieved only through realistic and methodical planning and not through the purchase of innovative or expensive computer equipment or software. In any case, the purchase of computer systems must follow the planning stages. For that reason, it is important to focus due attention on the planning and preparation for computerisation. It is also the case that the larger the system, the more careful the planning that is required. Also, the more the proposed computer systems are designed to integrate the work of more than one criminal justice agency, the more complex are the issues which require to be incorporated in the planning stages devel On the negative side there are numerous examples to show what can go seriously wrong if the pment of computerisation is not carefully planned The absence of an overall plan to guide the development of individual computer systems often results in piecemeal developments which are incompatible, information which cannot readily be transferred between systems or combined with information held on other systems, and little or no scope for expansion and Inadequate analysis of the requirements for the computer systems, can lead to systems which do not address the real needs of the criminal justice agency, or which do not tackle the underlying objectives of the agency this may also give rise to systems which do not sit comfortably with the methods or constraints of working in the agency, Inadequate attention to the need to involve users in the planning of the computer systems, can lead both to antipathy on the part of those who are intended to use the system, and to systems which fail to address the real needs of users and the manner in which they work, Inadequate analysis of the methods of working of the agency, and of the underlying objectives and options for alternative working, often leads to computer systems which perpetuate manual methods in situations where different methods of working, combined with new computer systems, would produce more efficient or more Inadequate analysis of the costs and benefits of developing and implementing the computer systems can lead to decisions to proceed with systems which are too costly in relation to the benefits they generate; in some cases, this can result in development being abandoned before the system is completed, because of escalating costs and little evidence of benefits being generated; Inadequate analysis of the costs of running and maintaining the computer systems, can lead to systems which are too costly to operate and which can as a result fall into disuse Inadequate attention to the training needs of staff and users at all levels can lead to inefficient or ineffective use of the system and a failure to meet its design objectives: Inadequate attention to the clerical and administrative procedures associated with running the system, can leadcomputer systems to support their work find it difficult or impossible to operate effectively without them. However, the benefits are achieved only if the computerisation process is carefully planned, with the full commitment of management. The need for a clear plan to guide the development of computerisation exists regardless of the size and complexity of the computer systems proposed; often, significant benefits from computerisation can be achieved with relatively modest investments: a small computer in a busy police office, another to assist with court administration in a busy court, and another to collate statistics at the central statistics office, for example. However, unless these individual developments are properly planned in the first instance, the individual systems may not achieve the benefits expected of them. Further, unless these are properly coordinated, the information collected at the police office may not be compatible with the court information or with the statistics system. As a result, future plans to make operational improvements by automating the transfer of information between agencies (or even between offices of the same agency) may prove impossible or unnecessarily expensive. Furthermore, systems introduced in this way may not provide the required scope for later expansion, as new and additional functions are required to be computerised. It follows that benefits from computerisation can be achieved only through realistic and methodical planning and not through the purchase of innovative or expensive computer equipment or software. In any case, the purchase of computer systems must follow the planning stages. For that reason, it is important to focus due attention on the planning and preparation for computerisation. It is also the case that the larger the system, the more careful the planning that is required. Also, the more the proposed computer systems are designed to integrate the work of more than one criminal justice agency, the more complex are the issues which require to be incorporated in the planning stages. On the negative side, there are numerous examples to show what can go seriously wrong if the development of computerisation is not carefully planned: C The absence of an overall plan to guide the development of individual computer systems often results in piecemeal developments which are incompatible, information which cannot readily be transferred between systems or combined with information held on other systems, and little or no scope for expansion and development; C Inadequate analysis of the requirements for the computer systems, can lead to systems which do not address the real needs of the criminal justice agency, or which do not tackle the underlying objectives of the agency; this may also give rise to systems which do not sit comfortably with the methods or constraints of working in the agency; C Inadequate attention to the need to involve users in the planning of the computer systems, can lead both to antipathy on the part of those who are intended to use the system, and to systems which fail to address the real needs of users and the manner in which they work; C Inadequate analysis of the methods of working of the agency, and of the underlying objectives and options for alternative working, often leads to computer systems which perpetuate manual methods in situations where different methods of working, combined with new computer systems, would produce more efficient or more effective results; C Inadequate analysis of the costs and benefits of developing and implementing the computer systems can lead to decisions to proceed with systems which are too costly in relation to the benefits they generate; in some cases, this can result in development being abandoned before the system is completed, because of escalating costs and little evidence of benefits being generated; C Inadequate analysis of the costs of running and maintaining the computer systems, can lead to systems which are too costly to operate and which can as a result fall into disuse; C Inadequate attention to the training needs of staff and users at all levels can lead to inefficient or ineffective use of the system and a failure to meet its design objectives; C Inadequate attention to the clerical and administrative procedures associated with running the system, can lead